Tour of Slovakia

8 days /7 nights breakfast and dinner daily, air-conditioned transportation, services of English-speaking tour escort, entrances according to the itinerary.

DAY 1 BRATISLAVA

Arrive in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, one of the most beautiful towns on the River Danube. Enjoy a fascinating mix of three nations –Slovak, Austrian and Hungarian, where cultures have intermingled for centuries. Tour the city of Bratislava, an historical Old town. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.

DAY 2 BRATISLAVA – LITTLE CARPATHIANS

Morning travel into the vintner ’s villages and towns which nestle in the foothills of the Little Carpathians. Visit the Red Stone Castle with an exhibition of historical furniture, interior accessories and arms. Continue to Modra and Pezinok, old free royal towns with a long artisan and wine-making tradition. In Modra pottery manufacture watch the mastery of the potters and try to make your own jug on the potter’s wheel. The tour will be completed with a wine tasting in a winegrowers' house in Pezinok. Return to Bratislava. Dinner in a local restaurant in the historic Old Town. Overnight accommodation.

DAY 3 NITRA - BANSKÁ ŠTIAVNICA - BANSKÁ BYSTRICA

Travel via Nitra to the medieval mining town of Banská Štiavnica, once the most important European mining centre for gold and silver. Visit the open air Mining Museum with unique exhibition of "Pochwerk“. Continue to Banská Bystrica, the economic and cultural centre of Central Slovakia. Check-in and dinner at the hotel.

DAY 4 BANSKÁ BYSTRICA– ČIERNY BALOG – HIGH TATRAS

Tour the historic Banská Bystrica which prides itself with medieval burgher houses on the nicely preserved town square. Continue on to Čierny Balog and take a ride on the historical Woodland Railway. Leisure time for lunch break is followed with the breath-taking drive across the Low Tatras through the Čertovica pass. Continue to your hotel in the High Tatras. Dinner and overnight.

DAY 5 HIGH TATRAS NATIONAL PARK

We start this day with a drive through the picturesque landscapes which will bring us back to the main tourist resorts – Štrbské Pleso, Starý Smokovec and Tatranská Lomnica. We take a cable car to Skalnaté Lake located over 3.000 feet above sea level and enjoy the breathtaking alpine mountain vistas. Afternoon we travel to the Pieniny National Park and take an exciting ride on wooden rafts down the Dunajec river which winds its way across bizarre limestone rocks between Poland and Slovakia. After the cruise enjoy picnic in the open. Return to your hotel.

DAY 6 SPIŠ TOWNS

Your tour will include an excursion to UNESCO listed towns Kežmarok, Levoča, Spišská Kapitula. Visit a wooden Orthodox Church decorated with unique old frescos, the famous Church of St. James’s with the high Gothic wooden altar and tour the historic municipal monument of Spišská Kapitula, a rare European settlement of preachers and the largest Gothic castle complex in Europe. Visit Spiš Castle. Day ends with a Slovak
Evening including dinner with folklore music and a taste of local grilled food specialties. Overnight in your hotel.

DAY 7 SLOVAK PARADISE - BETLIAR – BRATISLAVA

Depart High Tatras and travel into the Slovak Paradise, a landscape of captivating beauty. Visit Ochtinská aragonite cave and continue via Rožňava to Betliar Hunting Chateau with a precious collection of weapons, hunting trophies, pictures and a library. Return to Bratislava, dinner and overnight accommodation.

DAY 8

Breakfast and transfer to the airport.

Bratislava – Budapest – Vienna

Arrive in Vienna/Bratislava airport. Coach transfer to the hotel. Afternoon walk through the magnificent Old town including Main Square with crafts market and the most representative Primate´s Palace, where 1805 peace treaty between Austria and France was signed. Dinner at the restaurant in the old town. Overnight.

DAY 2 LITTLE CARPATHIANS

Morning travel into the vintner ’s villages and towns which nestle in the foothills of the Little Carpathians. Visit the Red Stone Castle with an exhibition of historical furniture, interior accessories and arms. Continue to Modra and Pezinok, old free royal towns with a long artisan and wine-making tradition. Visit a winegrowers' house in Pezinok and taste different sorts of local wine. In Modra pottery manufacture watch the mastery of the potters and try to make your own jug on the potter’s wheel. The tour will be completed with dinner at the Slovak country style restaurant with folk music. Overnight in your hotel in Bratislava.

DAY 3 BRATISLAVA – BUDAPEST

Morning departure to Budapest, the capital of Hungary. City sightseeing Tour of Budapest includes Royal castle, Mathias Church, Fishermen’s Bastion, Citadel on the Gellert Hill with panoramic view of the Danube and the Parliament. Visit the Hero’s Square, the Millennium monument, Vajdahunyad Castle. In the evening explore the town at your own pace. We recommend a visit to the Market Hall or shopping on the popular Vaci utca. Return to Bratislava. Dinner and overnight accommodation.

DAY 4 BRATISLAVA - VIENNA

Travel to Vienna, capital of Austria. Sightseeing tour of Vienna will give you an overall impression of the most significant historical sights of the town. Along the Ringstrasse we show you magnificent buildings including the State Opera House, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Natural History Museum. You will see the Hofburg, the Parliament, the City Hall, the Belvedere Palace and the Burgtheater. The highlight of this tour will be a visit of of Schönbrunn Palace, the summer residence of the Habsburgs. Return to Bratislava. Dinner and overnight accommodation.

DAY 5 BRATISLAVA

Transfers to Vienna/Bratislava airport.

Itineraries

S-TOURS

is a unique in-bound operator. We specialize in service excellence and pride ourselves on being able to adapt our tour itineraries to meet your needs. Since its creation in 1991 S-TOURS has developed close ties with a reliable network of hotels in Slovakia and neighbouring countries. We have certified guides speaking your native language and for transportation offer modern deluxe coaches.

We create itineraries perfectly tailored to your wishes

Tell us what you want to see and we will design your own unforgettable holiday.

Slovakia

A small landlocked country stretching from the fertile lowlands of the Danube River Valley to the 8 000 feet-high peaks of the High Tatra massive.

A country with an eventful history which can be traced through its numerous historical monuments.

Western Slovakia

The Little Carpathian Mountains stretch for a distance of 100km to the north-east from the Devín Gate. Old castles and forts, once built along this mountain range, add to its specific charm. Southern slopes are covered with vineyards, wine taverns located in small villages and towns Limbach, Pezinok, Modra. They offer a pleasant atmosphere, the delicious flavour of local wines and gastronomic specialities.

Central Slovakia

In westward direction the Carpathians arch gets higher and higher and leads into the Low Tatras and the High Tatras, the smallest mountain range in the world. Central Slovakia is the territory with hundred-year old mining tradition. As early as in the middle Ages tons of gold, silver and copper were mined here. In addition to the wonderful nature this region is abundant in many original technical relics providing evidence of the high level of mining technologies in ancient centuries.

The Low Tatras

is a mountain range of approximately 80 km in length, situated between picturesque valleys of the Váh and Hron river. Their peaks reach heights over 2000 m. Summer visitors can enjoy the exquisite view of slopes covered with a variety of wild flowers. In the almost untouched forest, you can choose from numerous interesting hikes or experience the stunning countryside on a bike. The Low Tatras Mountains are one of the most popular winter ski resorts in Slovakia.

The High Tatras

The High Tatras National Park is the largest and most important natural reserve in Slovakia.

The snow capped peaks of the Vysoké Tatry (High Tatras) sierra reach out to the heavens. They are just the right height – not too high to prevent people from climbing the rocky paths to attain a marvellous view, yet not too low to stop mountain climbers from challenging their skills and getting an adrenaline rush! In winter the High Tatras is a skier’s paradise. In summer picturesque green valleys with water bubbling in streams and lakes offer peace and relaxation. Over 550 species of flora can be found in the Valley of Seven Springs, regarded as an entirely unique botanical garden of Europe.

Kempinski *****

Štrbské Pleso

Grandhotel Bellevue ****

Starý Smokovec

Patria Hotel ****

Štrbské Pleso

Northern Slovakia

The entire region of North Slovakia offers visitors its spectacular scenery. It includes the Low Fatra and the Big Fatra mountains with most picturesque Vrátna dolina, a nature reserve with rare fauna and flora and the fascinating rock formations Súľov Rocks. The Roháče Mountains spread out in the Orava Region, where folklore and typical folk architecture can be found at open-air museums.

In the East the High Tatras border on the Pieniny National Park. The Dunajec mountain river winds its way across bizarre limestone rocks shrouded in legend. The 9 km long canyon is admired for its extraordinary beauty. New hotels and spa houses with health centres and a wide range of services arose recently. Ski lifts, ski schools, cog railway, tennis hall, minigolf or bob-sleights off er many opportunities to really experience the stunning countryside.

Spiš Region

The German colonisation of the territory called Spiš in the 13th century was in many ways special. The settlers were joined in so called Associations of the Spiš Towns, Levoča being its capital and it was governed by their own Spiš rights. Spiš Castle, the largest Gothic castle complex in Central Europe, perched on a travertine rock above the former market hamlet of Spišské Podhradie, dominate the Spiš Region. UNESCO listed site.

Eastern Slovakia

SLOVAK PARADISE

situated between the Hnilec and Hornad river is an ideal tourist destination for those who like active holidays. Here you will find numerous ravines, narrow valleys, gorges, canyons, caves, fantastic waterfalls and wild scenery.

KOŠICE

A metropolis of Eastern Slovakia, an important industrial, cultural and educational centre with an university, theatre, philharmonic orchestra and galleries. The town centre prides itself on well preserved historic and sacred monuments such as the Gothic St. Elisabeth’s Cathedral, the municipal tower with a museum of bells and the old Franciscan church.